82 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



oxidized, the patentee deoxidizes it, first by means of the waste gas of 

 furnaces ; the carbonic acid of the furnaces is at first changed into 

 oxide of carbon, within the furnace in which the hydrogen as well as 

 the oxide of carbon is produced ; the last gas is obtained by the pas- 

 sage of steam into the oxide furnace (a kind of kiln) ; the oxide of car- 

 bon and hydrogen are afterwards injected into the retorts containing 

 the oxidized iron ; this latter transmits the oxygen to the oxide of car- 

 bon, and to the hydrogen, which has been generated in the furnace for 

 oxide of carbon. Secondly, the iron may be deoxidized by causing 

 pulverized coal to fall on hot iron ; also by igniting with oxide of iron 

 some hydrogen, or oxide of carbon, or by throwing upon the hot iron 

 some oil, or any of the hydro-carbons. 



Secondly, the process for obtaining hydrogen by the decomposition of 

 water with incandescent coal, or by means of oxide of carbon. The pat- 

 entee causes steam to pass into horizontal retorts similar to those em- 

 ployed in gas-works, filled up more or less with deep layers of coal ; 

 the steam is distributed to the whole of the retorts and over the sur- 

 face of the coals by means of one or more pipes in connection with a 

 boiler, pierced with holes of a small diameter, like the spout of a 

 water-pot; the contact of the steam produces hydrogen, carbonic acid, 

 and a small quantity of oxide of carbon and other gases ; these mixed 

 gases pass off through the educt pipe into an epurator, when the car- 

 bonic acid is taken up, and the hydrogen passes off into the gasometer. 

 The patentee observes that this apparatus for decomposing water is 

 similar to that in which coal is distilled, differing, however, from it 

 as regards the steam-tubes, the boiler, and the system of depositing 

 the steam on the surface of the coals, instead of passing it through 

 them ; these points the patentee states to be new. The patentee also 

 decomposes water by means of magnets, working with induct bob- 

 bins ; the movement of each magnet on an axis sets in motion all the 

 bobbins, and as there is only one resistance of attractive action which 

 is resisted by that of the opposite pole, it follows (states the patentee) 

 that in communicating such force I put in action a considerable num- 

 ber of magnets, by means of cogs, and transmission of mechanical 

 movements, and the magnets decompose the water ; pure hydrogen 

 may be collected at one pole, and pure oxygen at the other, and stored 

 in separate gasometers for use. 



The patentee's improved process for rendering hydrogen gas illumi- 

 nating, is by causing a small jet of lighted hydrogen to pass through 

 a burner (the holes very small) on a thin strip of platinum, or a wick 

 of platinum wire, the threads being excessively fine, and of a gradu- 

 ated action, proportioned to the intensity of the pressure of the flame 

 and the burning hydrogen ; a very powerful light is thus produced. 

 The platinum threads are immediately heated to such a whiteness that 

 the luminous refulgence is extraordinarily brilliant. Besides plati- 

 num, other unalterable and unoxidizable metals may be employed. 

 The wick must be of the shape necessary to agree with that of the jet 

 of hydrogen. It may be that of a cone or any other figure, according 

 to the size which the gas takes when it is allowed egress from the 

 burner ; the wick must be made more or less strong, according to the 





